1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mattresses and, more particularly, to mattresses for supporting pregnant women wherein a plurality of physiological needs which are peculiar to pregnant women are satisfied.
2. Prior Art Statement
Air mattresses are well known and have been in existence for a number of decades. Typically, air mattresses are made up of a plurality of channels or chambers which have heat seal-type seams and with plastic or plasticized canvas-type material whereby the typical air mattress has a single inflation nozzle and the air is blown into the air mattress so as to inflate all of the chambers. In 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,087 issued to Friedrich Horn and was directed to a therapeutical air mattress. In this particular air mattress, there was an inflatable hollow body provided with a pair of symmetrically arranged longitudinal air tubes which form an inflatable single chamber system and which almost adjoin one another in a head region and were spaced from one another in a body region so as to satisfy the particular needs of a patient lying in the mattress in such a manner that the mattress could be set in rhythmical vibrations. Typically, this therapeutical air mattress was used to treat people with articluar rheumatism and/or with blockages of the vertebrae and articulations.
In addition to the general state of the art of air mattresses, some patents have issued which are directed to mattresses designed specifically for pregnant women. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,920 issued on Oct. 15, 1974 to Walter Voelker was directed to an adjustable mattress for pregnant mothers wherein separate compartments were provided in the design with each compartment containing non-resilient flowable material. More specifically, various types of cellular material as well as other choice materials listed in the patent would be used in conjunction with spheres which operated in a thixotropic fashion. The particular structure described in this patent was to be divided into separate chambers including one located in the general enlarged abdominal area of the pregnant woman whereby different flowability characteristics of the flowable material could be maintained or, in the alternative, the flowability of the flowable material in each compartment was continuously or intermittently altered by altering the volume of the envelope, either mechanically or by altering gas pressure or liquid pressure in the compartment, thus causing the slightly elastic envelope to increase or decrease in volume.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,566 issued on Oct. 4, 1977 to Lucy Esquivel was directed to a mattress with a modifiable cavity for pregnant women. Basically, this patent teaches a mattress structure which has an insert in a cavity which is movably mounted so that it may be raised or lowered to accommodate a woman who is pregnant in such a fashion that she may lay on the mattress face down with her abdomen in the cavity. Specifically, a hand crank is provided whereby the cavity section with the insert may be cranked so that the insert may be raised or lowered.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,452 is directed to a prenatal mattress and issued on Dec. 25, 1984 to Jodey Lickert. This patent describes a prenatal mattress enabling a pregnant woman to lie more comfortably and safely on her abdomen during the pregnancy term. The mattress comprises a lower layer of cloth carrying releasable fasteners, a fluid-fillable abdominal cushion, and a fluid-fillable head cushion. An upper layer of cloth is provided so as to seal the cushion and headrest in place. The cushions can be filled to the extent desired with a fluid, placed between the areas and the fasteners can be attached so as to form the mattress. In a preferred embodiment, the cushion has dual indentations to accommodate the breasts of the pregnant woman and a lower indentation to accommodate the thighs or upper leg areas.
Notwithstanding all of the prior art, there appears to be no patent or reference which teaches or renders obvious some of the critical features of the present invention which includes a plurality of concentric cushions, each being independently inflatable, which are designed to take into consideration different size enlarged abdomens of pregnant women, different size breases, different size thighs, and different relative locations among these body parts as well as consideration for the needs of other body parts.
Thus, the prior art is believed to establish the state of the art and to establish the patentability of the present invention.